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Monthly Archives: July 2008

**Update: these stencils are of the freezer-paper variety; for a good tutorial go here**

I bought this tea outfit a few months ago but the shirt looked so…blah. Had to spruce it up.Can you tell it’s a dog? Mr. Rae says it kinda looks like a rat. Not that it really matters, but Elliot is a huge dog fan (from a distance, of course), so I was going more in the canine direction. The idea actually came from this picture from Print and Pattern back in May.

I had some extra paint so I decided to make another one — this time on a newborn onesie. Not sure what will happen with this one yet.

: : Miscellany : :

1. Got my Spoonflower invite! Yay! I’ve already started designing my fabrics…my head is just full of ideas, so more to come on that.

Phew! Our weekends away have finally ended. We spent a few days at a cottage on Lake Huron, a few days in Chicago (without baby!) , a few days camping with my mom’s side of the family, and last week my parents stayed with us before we drove to West Michigan for my Grandma ‘s 90th birthday party. It’s great to settle in again.

Mom lives in Seattle so I gave her her birthday gift when she came to visit:

This pretty print is no longer available as far as I know. I had it around for years just waiting for the right project. Turns out mom has a pair of pants that matches exactly so I guess I nailed the color choice. Those pants happen to be the same pair Elliot pooped all over last year. One of those funny-in-retrospect family moments.

You regular readers will recognize the design and flour collar from previous blouses, but I’m link-lazy so you can just mosey on over to the June archives to see those if you’re interested (Hint: Summer Top Week II). This version also has a belt and loops for waist cinching.

: : Mom looking smashing as usual in new top and demonstrating possible origin of familial silliness : :

Speaking of silly, Kricket sent me this YouTube video, resulting in a complete waste of morning nap watching Muppets on YouTube. YES…AGAIN. *sigh*

(Grown locally, i.e. NOT sprayed with preservatives and shipped across the globe)

Man I had no idea that over three hundred people even read this blog, not to mention would bother to vote. But there it is, 300 of you and counting (wait a second…Mom? Is that you voting over and over just to boost my self-confidence?) have put in your two cents. Or it could be those devilish “automated robots” out there. And yes, that was a dig at typepad…who ever heard of a non-automated robot? Dum-dums.

Thanks y’all for the wonderful comments! It’s really exciting to hear how many of you have been inspired to make tops of your own, and I can’t wait to see them popping up on your blogs. We have been on vacation for the last week and next, so I have to admit to being a little snowballed by all the comments when I finally checked in, especially with all the visitors who dropped in from Sew Mama Sew. I’m feeling really bad about this but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be able to respond to all of them. I hope you will all stop by again and please don’t feel insulted if you don’t hear from me directly. I will try to be better.

Here’s a little something that I whipped up for my mumsy’s birthday:

No that is not your computer screen, my camera produces that blasted dot in every picture. Ack. Usually it’s not so noticeable.

Here are some basic instructions for those of you who want to try it. I am too lazy to take tutorial pictures (VACATION!) so this will just have to do. At the very worst, do the first four steps and then use the picture to slap the rest together.

1. Cut each sheet of origami paper down the middle lengthwise and widthwise to make four 3″ squares from each.2. Fold each 3″ square diagonally to make a triangle.3. Turn each triangle into a square as follows: Take each of the triangle’s two smaller corners (the ones that share the fold you just made) and fold them down directly over the other bigger corner, lining up edges. Another way to think about this is that you are taking the two 45-degree corners and nesting them together inside the 90-degree corner. Repeat with the other pieces.4. First layer: Take four matching squares you just made and put them in the middle of the piece of scrap cardstock, matching their points together. The mid-fold on each square should face up. Sew or glue these to secure them. If you are sewing, you can sew diagonally across each square (sew over the mid-fold, not along it); the stitches will not show once you put the next layer over.5. Next layer: place each new square so that its tip lines up along the “X” formed by the mid-folds of the squares on the layer below. When you do this, two of its corners should also line up along the edges of the bottom layer. Repeat for the other three of this color on the other sides. Sew or glue in place.6. Continue layering until you have all four layers complete.7. Cut out a window from your card using an exacto knife. Trim edges of layered piece to fit inside card. Sew around window of card to secure in place.8. Stand back and admire card. Then send to loved one.